body (as Langbaine expresses it) “being as handsome as his soul.  He was, says he, an expert linguist, understanding not only Greek and Latin, but French and Italian, as perfectly as his mother tongue; an excellent orator, and at the same time an admirable poet, a quality which Cicero with all his pains could never attain.”  The editor of his works applies to him the saying of Aristotle concerning AEschron the poet, “that he could not tell what AEschron could not do,” and Dr. Fell, bishop of Oxford, said of him, “Cartwright was the utmost a man can come to.”  Ben Johnson likewise so highly valued him, that he said, “My son Cartwright writes all like a man.”  There are extant of this author’s, four plays, besides other poems, all which were printed together in 1651, to which are prefixed above fifty copies of commendatory verses by the most eminent wits of the university.

Langbaine gives the following account of his plays;

1.  Ordinary, a Comedy, when and where acted is uncertain.

2.  Lady Errant, a Tragi-Comedy; there is no account when this play was acted, but it was esteemed a good Comedy.

3, Royal Slave, a Tragi-comedy, presented to the King and Queen, by the students of Christ Church in Oxford, August 30, 1636; presented since before both their Majesties at Hampton Court by the King’s servants.  As for the noble stile of the play itself, and the ready address, and graceful carriage of the students (amongst which Dr. Busby, the famous master of Westminster school; proved himself a second Roscius) did exceed all things of that nature they had ever seen.  The Queen, in particular, so much admired it, that in November following, she sent for the habits and scenes to Hampton Court, she being desirous to see her own servants represent the same play, whose profession it was, that she might the better judge of the several performances, and to whom the preference was due:  the sentence was universally given by all the spectators in favour of the gown, though nothing was wanting on Mr. Cartwright’s side to inform the players as well as the Scholars, in what belonged to the action and delivery of each part.[6]

4.  Siege, or Love’s Convert, a Tragi-Comedy, when acted is not known, but was dedicated by the author to King Charles I. by an epistle in verse.

Amongst his poems, there are several concerning the dramatic poets, and their writings, which must not be forgot; as these two copies which he wrote on Mr. Thomas Killegrew’s plays, the Prisoner, and Claracilla; two copies on Fletcher, and one in memory of Ben Johnson, which are so excellent, that the publisher of Mr. Cartwright’s poems speaks of them with rapture in the preface, viz. ’what had Ben said had he read his own Eternity, in that lasting elegy given him by our author.’  Mr. Wood mentions some other works of Cartwright’s; 1st.  Poemata Graeca et Latina. 2d.  An Offspring of Mercy issuing out of the Womb of Cruelty; a Passion Sermon preached at Christ Church in Oxford, on Acts ii. 23.  London, 8vo. 1652. 3d.  On the Signal Days of the Month of November, in relation to the Crown and Royal Family; a Poem, London 1671, in a sheet, 4to. 4th.  Poems and Verses, containing Airs for several Voices, set by Mr. Henry Lawes.